100 Questions & Answers about Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)

Title......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Contents......Page 10
Introduction......Page 14
Foreword......Page 18
Patient Biography......Page 26
Acknowledgment......Page 28
Part One: Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Epidemiology and Prevalence......Page 30
1. What is PAD?......Page 31
2. How common is PAD?......Page 33
4. Does PAD affect as many women as it does men?......Page 34
5. Who is at risk of PAD?......Page 35
7. Can PAD be prevented or cured?......Page 36
9. At what age does PAD most commonly occur?......Page 37
Part Two: PAD Pathophysiology......Page 38
11. What causes a blocked artery in the leg?......Page 39
13. Why do my leg muscles hurt when exercising?......Page 41
15. What is severe PAD or “critical limb ischemia”?......Page 42
17. Does leg swelling indicate the presence of a blocked leg artery?......Page 43
20. Does infection cause PAD?......Page 44
Part Three: Symptoms and Physical Findings of PAD......Page 46
21. What are the symptoms of PAD?......Page 47
23. Why do my muscles hurt when I exercise?......Page 48
26. What is a foot ulcer and can it be caused by PAD?......Page 50
27. Is hair loss or shiny skin on a person’s legs a sign of PAD?......Page 51
30. Is restless leg syndrome caused by PAD?......Page 52
Part Four: PAD Diagnosis......Page 54
31. How is PAD diagnosed?......Page 55
32. What is an ankle-brachial index (ABI) test?......Page 56
33. What is an exercise ABI stress test?......Page 59
34. What is a duplex arterial ultrasound?......Page 61
35. What is transcutaneous oximetry?......Page 62
36. What is an MRA?......Page 64
38. What is a CTA?......Page 66
41. What is an angioplasty?......Page 67
Part Five: PAD Risk Factors......Page 72
42. Are there factors that predispose a person to development of PAD?......Page 73
44. Is diabetes a risk factor for PAD?......Page 74
48. Does homocysteine cause PAD?......Page 75
50. Is C-reactive protein associated with PAD?......Page 76
51. Is there a gene that causes PAD?......Page 77
Part Six: Heart Attack, Stroke, and Limb Loss in Individuals with PAD......Page 78
52. Am I at risk of heart attack if I have PAD?......Page 79
53. Am I at risk of heart attack after leg artery surgery if I have PAD?......Page 80
54. Should I have a cardiac (heart) stress test?......Page 81
56. Am I at risk of stroke if I have PAD?......Page 82
57. Am I at risk of losing my leg if I have PAD?......Page 83
Part Seven: Lowering Risk: Treatment of Atherosclerosis Risk Factors and Use of Antithrombotic (Anticlotting) Medications......Page 84
59. Should I lower my cholesterol if I have PAD?......Page 85
61. Don’t statin drugs cause muscle pain? I already have leg pain! What should I do?......Page 87
62. How can I quit smoking? When should I begin my efforts to quit smoking?......Page 88
63. How can I control high blood pressure?......Page 89
64. How can I control diabetes?......Page 90
67. Does lowering homocysteine prevent or reduce plaque buildup in the arteries of the legs?......Page 91
70. Can I prevent a heart attack or stroke by using aspirin or other antithrombotic (anticlotting) medications?......Page 92
Part Eight: Noninvasive Treatment of Claudication......Page 94
72. How does exercise improve walking?......Page 95
73. How do I find a supervised exercise program?......Page 97
74. Is there a pill for leg pain from PAD?......Page 98
76. Does cilostazol (Pletal) interact with other drugs?......Page 99
79. What is therapeutic angiogenesis?......Page 100
82. Does ginkgo biloba help claudication symptoms?......Page 101
83. Does chelation improve claudication symptoms?......Page 102
86. Are there things I should not do if I have claudication?......Page 103
87. Are there things I should not do if I have critical limb ischemia?......Page 104
Part Nine: Invasive Treatment of Claudication......Page 106
88. My doctor used the term “interventional treatment.” What does this mean?......Page 107
90. When might I need an angioplasty?......Page 108
91. What are potential complications of leg artery angioplasty?......Page 109
92. What is a stent of the leg artery, and when is it used?......Page 110
94. How long-lasting is treatment of a leg artery blockage by plain balloon angioplasty or by stent placement?......Page 111
95. Is there a surgical bypass procedure that can improve blood flow for my blocked leg artery?......Page 112
97. When should I have a surgical procedure to open up a leg artery?......Page 114
Part Ten: Your Doctor’s Visit......Page 116
98. What can I do to make my doctor’s visit as productive as possible?......Page 117
99. How do I gain control over my life now that I have PAD?......Page 119
100. Where can I obtain further information on PAD?......Page 123
Glossary......Page 126
Index......Page 132